News

Noisy neighbour faces jail term

A NOISY neighbour who ignored repeated warnings to "keep it down" faces jail if he is caught playing loud music again.

Shane Holmes, of Little Meadows, Haxby, has become the first person in York to be given a CRASBO for making too much noise.

Holmes, 22, was given the noise-related Criminal Anti-social Behaviour Order and a two-year conditional discharge by York Magistrates Court.

His stereo, DVD player and CD player were all confiscated after he was caught playing loud music after he was served with a noise abatement notice.

Mike Southcombe, environmental protection manager for City of York Council, said: "I believe this CRASBO sends out a strong message to anyone who harasses their neighbours with noise or any other
means.

"The council will take whatever measures are necessary to deal with nuisance neighbours."

After a number of reports of noise nuisance from neighbours, Holmes was served with the notice by the council's environmental protection unit in March.

Holmes was then visited a number of times by the team and the council's emergency weekend noise patrol.

Again he was caught playing loud amplified music - meaning he had failed to comply with the notice - so council officers and the police, raided his home in April.

They seized all "noise-making equipment", including a stereo, DVD and CD players. He was served with the CRASBO - the first of its kind - on Friday.

The case was the first brought by the city's new antisocial behaviour referral panel - a partnership of the police, City of York Council, Safer York Partnership, York's Youth Offending Team,
registered social landlords, and probation.

The aim of the panel is to work together to establish the best way to address anti-social behaviour and make neighbourhoods safer.

Chief Inspector Nick Warnes, of York Police, said: "Every ASBO and CRASBO referral now comes through the panel.

"That allows all the agencies to consider the application and work out what is most appropriate for the individual and the community.

"This means that when we go before the court we can give a full picture, with all agencies supporting the application, so it is much more likely to succeed.

"In this case it was agreed that a CRASBO was necessary, which is a great result for us."

Alison Newbould, Safer York Partnership's antisocial behaviour co-ordinator, said: "Representatives from the police and the council meet on a monthly basis to assess the options available to
tackle the perpetrators of antisocial behaviour.

"In this instance, the CRASBO was imposed as a bolt-on to a noise abatement order."